Astronaut and Tennessee Tech Graduate Butch Wilmore announced his retirement from NASA Wednesday.
The news comes months after Wilmore returned to Earth after spending 286 days aboard the International Space Station. The mission originally was supposed to only last eight days, but was prolonged due to technical difficulties.
Wilmore graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Tennessee Tech in 1985 and then graduated with a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Tennessee Tech in 1994. Wilmore served 25 years at NASA and spent an estimated total of 464 days in space.
“From my earliest days, I have been captivated by the marvels of creation, looking upward with an insatiable curiosity. This curiosity propelled me into the skies, and eventually to space, where the magnificence of the cosmos mirrored the glory of its creator in ways words can scarcely convey,” Wilmore said. “Even as I ventured beyond Earth’s limits, I remained attuned to the beauty and significance of the world below, recognizing the same intricate design evident among the stars is also woven into the fabric of life at home.”
Tennessee Tech President Phil Oldham released a statement Wednesday saying Wilmore will always have a place on campus.
“Captain Wilmore is the best of us,” Oldham said. “He is a role model for our students, an inspiration to this entire campus community, and a personal friend to me. His determination, faith, and Tennessee Tech education have taken him beyond what most of us could ever imagine. From his service on our Board of Trustees, to his video calls with our students from the International Space Station, we are enormously proud that, at every turn in his journey, he has remembered his Golden Eagle roots.”
“Throughout his career, Butch has exemplified the technical excellence of what is required of an astronaut,” Chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA Johnson, Joe Acaba, said. “His mastery of complex systems, coupled with his adaptability and steadfast commitment to NASA’s mission, has inspired us all. “As he steps into this new chapter, that same dedication will no doubt continue to show in whatever he decides to do next.”
Wilmore is one of nine NASA astronauts who graduated from the UT Space Institute. Wilmore is also a well-decorated U.S. Navy Captain and served as a test pilot for NASA before NASA selected him to become an astronaut in the year 2000.
